Chapter 253

“Raising rabbits doesn’t require much capital, but it’s tiring. When selling them, you also need to send someone along. Hu Wenhua’s job is clean and easy;

Moreover, the more rabbits he raises from the village, the more he earns. It’s a profitable deal without investment!

Three or four hundred wen for each sale—how much grain can that buy? It’s such easy money.

“We’re all from the same village. I believe the villagers would prefer us earning this money over Hu Wenhua!” Fan Dazhu confidently remarked.

Fan Qian thought to himself, after all, they were from Shanshui Village, having lived together for decades. Hu Wenhua had only arrived a few months ago; he had this confidence too.

Fan Sanzhu continued with the information he had gathered: “I heard Hu Wenhua has connections. Those big household kitchens are quite familiar with him and are willing to buy from him.”

Fan Qian sneered coldly, “He knows the kitchen buyers of big households, but I know the servants of Magistrate Wu’s household!”

The people in the room immediately understood; he was referring to the Magistrate Wu family.

Yes, they also had influential connections!

When the Magistrate Wu family faced flooding, they had stayed at their house for a long time. They surely remembered this favor.

Fan Qian looked at his four sons standing tall and felt somewhat pleased.

Turning to his daughter working in the corner, he felt even more satisfied.

Then Fan Dazhu mentioned, “Guangning Prefecture also suffered from floods. Those who sold themselves would be lining up. Although the wealthy households aren’t short of money, they’re even shorter of people now.

Let him sell Zhaodi to a piggy, and the piggy will go north to sell to places that haven’t suffered flooding.

This was all he could think about.

Zhaodi was already capable of working. After a few more years of raising, she could be married off for a bride price, only wasting a few years’ worth of grain, not much of a loss. After marriage, she could still occasionally support her natal family.

If sold to the prefecture city, they could still visit in the future, and if they could flatter a nobleman, they might ascend to heaven with the family chickens and dogs.

But once sold elsewhere, it would be a done deal.

Now if they grabbed Hu Wenhua’s business, they would have an income. They wouldn’t need to sell Zhaodi and tarnish their reputation, and the family would gain another worker.

The daughter wasn’t indispensable.

In important matters, he truly was a good father!

After thinking it over, he said to his sons, “Go to the households you’re familiar with and inquire about selling rabbits. I’ll go to the old village chief’s house and discuss.”

The four pillars exclaimed and immediately ran into the village.

Even Fan Dazhu, lying on the recliner, sat up, using a cane made of wood sticks, limping outside.

The house was no longer the same as in the past, urgently needing income, or else they would just keep consuming their savings. By the time he, the eldest grandson of the eldest line, took over, there might only be an empty shell left.

Fan Qian walked towards his mother’s room.

After explaining his plan again, Fan’s mother lowered her eyes in thought.

“Forget it, she’s ultimately my granddaughter. As an old woman, I can’t bear it either. Go find the old village chief later.

Carry your dead father out. I believe the old village chief will give us some face.”

Fan Qian wanted to say that his father had been dead for many years, and he hadn’t had much relationship with him when he was alive. What’s the use of carrying him out now?

He might as well rely on his own reputation!

·

The old village chief looked at Fan Qian with his aged eyes, carrying a duck over.

The Li Wen three brothers looked puzzled. Why did Fan Qian suddenly bring a duck over?

Wang Guifen and the other two sisters-in-law thought for a moment. Their first thought was that Fan Qian also wanted to raise rabbits?

If he wanted to raise rabbits, it hadn’t been a problem for them in the past. It was just Fan’s mother playing tricks.

Now that he wanted to raise them, he could honestly exchange ducks, chickens, and geese. There was no reason not to. What did they have to do with it?

The old village chief looked at Fan Qian and asked solemnly, “Qian Xiaozhi, what are you doing?”

Fan Qian explained his intentions carefully, ending with, “Old village chief, you’ve watched me grow up. How can we let outsiders take away the money from our village?”

And here’s the translation of the rest of the text into English:

“And I promise, isn’t Hu Wenhua asking for five wen each? I’ll do it for two, no, three wen! The villagers take care of me, and I’ll take care of my fellow villagers.”

Li Wen looked at Fan Qian in surprise, then turned to look at his father!

He used to think Fan Qian was shameless, but today he realized he was arrogant.

Where did he get the confidence to sell rabbits? He didn’t even know which door the big household families opened!

“Qian Xiaozhi, you’ve got it wrong. It’s not us letting Wenhua make money, it’s him making money with our village people!” The old village chief said slowly but decisively.

Fan Qian disagreed, “Old village chief, don’t hide it from me. I’ve checked it out. Hu Wenhua indeed has connections, but having connections doesn’t mean he’s the only one.

Let me tell you, I also have connections!”

The old village chief pointed out, “Fan Damu?”

Fan Qian was stunned, then nodded directly.

The old village chief shook his head.

This young man really didn’t understand Fan Damu’s character. It would be good if he didn’t stab Shanshui Village in the back; he even dared to expect Fan Damu to help them.

Moreover, the divisions in the big household families were clear, each person had their own responsibilities, and the kitchen was a lucrative place. His sons didn’t even know the steward, could Fan Damu, who had just entered a month ago, really get involved in kitchen procurement?

This young man was thinking too naively, even more so than this old man.

Seeing the old village chief shake his head, Fan Qian felt displeased and asked slowly, “Old village chief, do you not want me to take over?

Or do you think the rabbits belong to Hu Shuiqing, so this job is a favor to him?”

But don’t forget, Fan Jin is my own brother, and I’ll support both men and women!”

The old village chief felt that facing all the people in the courtyard was less tiring than facing Fan Qian alone!

He had anticipated that those raising rabbits in the village might argue and be unwilling to speak harshly, but he never expected Fan Qian, who hadn’t raised any rabbits, to come over and cause trouble.

Li Wen and the three brothers, along with their wives, heard Fan Qian questioning their father, and each of their chests heaved in anger.

“Didn’t my father make it clear? It’s not about helping or not helping, it’s about Brother Wenhua!”

“If anyone could do it, why wouldn’t the three of us brothers take charge of making this money?”

Wang Guifen picked up a duck from the ground and forcefully shoved it into Fan Qian’s hands. “Enough, if you say my father doesn’t agree, then go ask around the village and see who agrees!”

Fan Qian’s face turned dark as if water could drip from it.

He wanted to throw away the duck but hesitated. Finally, he took the duck back with him.

The more he thought about it, the more upset he became. He put down the duck and decided to persuade households in the village.

What kind of relationship did the men in the village, especially those who went out, have with Hu Wenhua?

They had fought together, faced enemies, and lived and ate together; they had a true bond!

Even if Fan Jin came, let alone Fan Qian, they couldn’t change their minds.

By evening, Ding Heli and Qin Yilin had already learned that Fan Qian’s attempt to undermine them had failed, and they casually mentioned it at the dinner table as an amusing incident.